A list of the great voices of Brazilian song would be a long one, but it would be pretty easy to pencil in Emilio Santiago at the very top. This week, we remember the talented crooner (who reinvented Bossa Nova in his own style) with his very best songs.

Brazil Back2Back: Our midweek Wednesday top-of-the-hour "Two-Fer" always showcases new music on The Sounds of Brazil! Catch it at 11 am and 2 pm Central. Not on your radio... only on our streaming station by clicking the PLAY button above.

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This week’s show:

My Producer's Notes

Remembering Emilio Santiago

It can be as true with music as it is with good friendships: some things get better with time and that was certainly the case for Brazilian crooner Emilio Santiago who, ever since his career was resurrected by the ‘Aquarela Brasileira’ series went on to establish and then redefine his unique place in contemporary Brazilian music.

Some say his sound was a throwback to Brazil’s pre-Bossa 50’s, when another crooner – Dick Farney – reigned supreme over the musical landscape in Rio and beyond. Farney was a staple of young carioca teens back then, on a plateau shared only by Sinatra when the topic of the day turned to the latest and greatest jazz singers. And so it was with Emilio Santiago, who passed away unexpectedly March 20th 2013 in Rio de Janeiro.

His recordings over the last few years clearly showed that he had hit his creative stride: ‘Um Jeito Diferente’ (“A Different Way”) paired him with guitarist and producer Ricardo Silveira for an acoustic masterpiece with songs like ‘Não Me Balança Mais’ (‘No More Balance’) while his sessions with Azymuth with ‘Demais’ (‘Too Much’) and Bossacucanova on ‘E Precisio Perdoar’ (‘Need To Forgive’) found him in more synthesized surroundings. We’ll hear each of these songs this week, along with several rare and early hits.

While these musical settings changed, his style did not: set aside his richly-toned tenor and you’ll discover why. Santiago’s delivery has depth: you’ll hear it in his easy phrasing; his voice invites you to listen and then compels you to stay.

Perhaps that’s a true measure of the creative gift he carried: where the musical visions of others end up mirroring the best qualities of Santiago’s talent.

The news of Emilio Santiago’s passing came as quite a shock that Wednesday morning (could it really be more than two years?): watching the breaking coverage on TV Globo, while fielding calls and e-mails flowing north from Brazil.

Emilio was a good friend of The Sounds of Brazil!, and for many of us his music helped to defined a sense of our own ‘Brazilian-ness’… an intimate, personal quality that many of us were surprised to discover in our musical lives.

Just as with his music, I knew Emilio as a gentle soul, with an easy grace and serenity that was such a joy to behold.

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Hour 2:

Set 1:

Guaratiba<>Azymuth/Carioca

Doce Viver<>Emilio Santiago/Bossa Nova

Welcome To Our Second Hour

Secret<>Bebel Gilberto/All In One

Bossa Blue<>Chris Standring/Blue Bolero

Tenderly<>Emilio Santiago/Perdido De Amor

Special Announcement

Libertar<>Mart’nalia/ + Misturado

Set 2:

Introduce Brazil Back2Back: Lee Ritenour

Linda<> Lee Ritenour & Caetano Veloso/Festival

Waters Edge<>Lee Ritenour/Smoke n’ Mirrors

Introduce Next Song

Não Me Balança Mais<>Emilio Santiago/De Um Jeito Diferente

In My Life<>Paul Leiberman/Ibeji

Mercy Street<>Leila Pinheiro & Ze Bruno/Big Circle

Set 3:

Água de Coco<>Emilio Santiago/ De Um Jeito Diferente

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Next Week: Wanting to make the most of these final few weeks of summer? We'll answer the call with two hours of 'The Best of Oscar Casto-Neves'. Plan to tune in and we’ll compare notes in the Chat Box on our home page!

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